Smokeless powder and process of making same.



' mersed in the solution for a s ace of time two seconds to t ee or four .process for the treatment of pow rially smoxsu-zss POWDER AND PROCESS OF MAIKINGVSAIME.

Specification of Letters Patent. I i

Application filed August 31,1905; Serial No. 276.624.

,the following is a specification.

The object of myinvention is to rovide a dbr, more particularly of the smokeless variety, by which a product will be securedwvhich under ordinary conditions of use shall exert mateless pressurein a gun than would otherwise be the case, at the same time decreasing the erosion on the gun on account of the decreased tem erature and pressure, but which shall notwithstanding im art'to a rojectile substantiall the same velbcity as the powder had not een so treated.

The invention also includes the powder resulting from the above-noted process and capable of attaining the results also noted.

In carrying out my invention I prepare a weak solution of a deterrent combustible, preferably mononitro-naphthalene, in the desired solvent or solvents, which latter are chosen to suit the particular brand of powder to be treated. For example, the solvent may be ether, any one of a number of the alcohols, mixtures of ether and alcohol, amyl acetate, acetic ether, or acetic acid, &c'. In such solvent the mononitro-naphthalene is dissolved so as to make approximately a five-per-cent solution'i. 6., naphthalene in onehundred cubic centimeters of the solvent The powder is then imvarying from minutes, according to the texture and hardness of. the grains which are coated or coated and impregnated with said solution. As a eneral .rule the process is complete when t e grains of powder begin to soften, at which time it is removed from the solution, dfiained, and allowed to d in the air until t e rate The drying is then completed at whatever temperature may be found suitable to the particular brand of powder under treatment, and I have found this tempera ture to vary between 40 and 7 0 centigrade.

If the ains of powder have-a tendency tov adhere a er drying, it may be desirable to.

se arate them by a 'tation or tumbling. T s can be well done y passing the powder ve grams of mononitr'oin some other manner greater part of the so vent has evapo-* through of the grains while the powder is still dam or before all of the solvent has evaporate The dryin may be completed after the separation of 516 rains. v I If the pow er is in thread or rod form, it may be assed through the solution above noted be ore being dried, after which the dryingmay be proceeded with in the ordinary manner. Again, the mononitro-nahpthalene or other deterrent combustible may be dissolved in the solvent used for colloidation of the nitrocellulose or powder and the manufacture of said powder proceeded with in the customary manner.

If desired, other a tumbler with or without round; I

shot or other objects for causing separation WILLIAM J. WILLIAMS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Patented July 3, 1 906. I

deterrent combustibles may be employed in place of .mononitroe naphthalene-as, for example, urea or cam phor, &c'.-though in place, of making a solution of the deterrent and then coating or coating and impregnating the owder I may accomplish the same end by t e use of the glazing or tumbling barrel. In such case the necessary proportion, usually three to five per cent. of the weight of powder taken; of finel' .-ground and freshly-sieved 1110110111110- naphthalene or other deterrent 1s added to the charge and the barrel revolved 1n the usual manner. During this operation the temperature of the contents of the barrel rises, probably from the effect of friction, it being desirable that the temperature reaches such a point as to cause either partial or complete melting of the deterrent-such, for example, as 43 centigrade or above. If the heat generated by friction is msuflicient to cause such a rise of temperature then hot air should be passed through the barrel or the temperature of the powder should be raised until it is sufficiently high to wholly or artially melt the deterrent and cause it to e absorbed by the outer surfaces of the powder-grains.

While I have found that with'mononitroso that the grains are glazed inthe usual way. The powder is finally sieved until it is free from dirt, &c.

It is to be understood that my improved process is applicable to the treatment of powders for sporting purposes, as well as those desi ned for military use in guns of large or sma l caliber.

If a projectile fired with powder treated as above described be found to have a decreased velocity, such decrease can be compensated for by slightly increasing the powder charge, though even with such increase it will be found that the pressure is very considerably decreased from the pressure otherwise exerted by untreated powder. As an example of this I have found that if in a .30 caliber rifle a charge of thirty-five grains of smokeless powder gives to the projectile a velocity of I one thousand nine hundred and fifty feet per second and a pressure of thirty-eight thousand pounds to the square inch a charge of about thirty-eight grains of powder treated in accordance with my invention will impart the same velocity to the projectile, while the pressure per square inch would be reduced approximately to thirty-two thousand pounds or by about five thousand or six thousand pounds.

I claim as my invention- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a smokeless powder coated with mononitronaphthalene.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a smokeless powder coated and impregnated with mononitro-naphthalene.

3. The process which consists in immers- A ing the grains of a completed smokeless powder in a solution of mononitro-naphthalene in a relatively volatile liquid and then evaporating said liquid, substantially as described.

4. The process which consists in immers ing the grains of a completed smokeless powder in a solution of mononitro-naphthalene until said powder begins to soften, then removing it from the solution and freeing it of the solvent, substantially as described.

5. The process which consists in immersing the grains of a completed propellent powder in a solution of mononitro-naphthalene until said powder begins to soften, then removing it from the solution and freeing it of the solvent, substantially as described.

6. The process which consists in immersing the grains of a completed propellent powder in a solution of mononitro naphthalene, removing said powder from said solution, allowing the surplus of the solution thereon to evaporate and drying the powder at a temperature between 40 and 70 Centigrade, substantially as described.

7. The process which consists in placing the grains of a completed propellent powder in a solution of a volatile solvent and mononitro-naphthalene, permitting said powder to remain in said solution until it is coated and impregnated therewith, removing the powder from the solution and permittm it to dry in the atmosphere and then comp et ing the drying at a temperature from 40 to 70 centigrade, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. WILLIAM J (WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

HERMANN AUTH, ALLAN J. CAssrnY. 

